RAFinley Writes Books
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rafinley.bsky.social
RAFinley Writes Books
@rafinley.bsky.social
690 followers 270 following 1.9K posts
Author. Artist. Musician. Exceedingly Reluctant Animator (retired; it’s not me, it’s you). Terminal Eccentric. Middling Adventurer. Stationary Supply Enthusiast. Chaotic Gardener.

Web: rafinleybooks.com
Etsy: rafinleyenterprises.etsy.com
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rafinley.bsky.social
Oh. I guess I won’t be getting lunch just yet.
A gray and white cat has decided to cuddle against its human and grab onto her arm to draw it in and use it for a pillow. The cat is looking toward the camera with a confident, happy expression.
November 20, 2025 at 5:07 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
@darthbluesky.bsky.social Smokey says it’s dinner time
A gray and white cat standing on its hind legs to stretch a front paw up to a kitchen counter where his opened can of dinner sits ready to be portioned into his bowl. He does not seem to want to wait for that, and very much wants it now.
November 9, 2025 at 10:23 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Smokey!
A mid-close-up of an extremely photogenic and wonderful grey and white cat, his head angled to look at something behind him and just off camera, while he lounges on a blanket-covered sofa. His eyes are half open, and the pupils wide with what the object of his gaze (me, the photographer) hopes is love.
November 5, 2025 at 2:53 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
I had a crazy week (including a panic attack in a grief group 🤦🏻‍♀️) so I didn’t do the button-pin planning as intended — but I did manage to make two! One very basic and the other I copied from the sign I’d made for the first No Kings.
Two pin-back buttons. One has a yellow crown encircled with and out by a red line. The other has a quote from Thomas Payne: “In America the law is king.” Law is written in big letters. The L is red; the A is white; the W is blue. A yellow crown is drawn above them.
October 18, 2025 at 12:58 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
(Because “cat” was invoked, here is a photo of said cat, Smokey, moments before his solace was disturbed by laughter.)
A gray and white cat lying comfortably on a blanket made by Calamityware which features odd bat-like and alien-like creatures and is extremely comfortable for humans and felines alike. The cat is in a combination of Loaf and Sphinx poses, with one front leg tucked and the other outstretched.
October 9, 2025 at 3:03 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Sent this to a friend and it made me laugh out loud (again) which caused the cat some concern—and I found myself giving him chin scritches and saying: “You don’t know funny, do you. You don’t do Laugh. Funny is kind of like…a big hug, but it also tickles, so you make a laugh.”
Screencap of a Tweet from 2014 by @mikefossey that says: Check this shit out motherfucker [I slide one foot out from under me and fall on my ass, its not clear what kind of move I was trying to do]
October 9, 2025 at 3:03 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Post something random or have an awful October
An unattributed photo from social media of some kind of beverage machine sporting a post-it note that says: “I am undergoing a maintenance cycle. Please let me rest.”
September 29, 2025 at 3:10 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Post a movie you like with a terrible rotten tomatoes score
Hollywood Homicide Tomatometer 31% Popcornmeter 27%
September 17, 2025 at 12:22 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Here are the other two poster entries:
An illustration of two people in traditional Dutch costume klomping with a giant red tulip (taller than they are). Normal sized tulips fill garden beds in front of and behind them. Behind that is a row of early 20th century buildings. Above that is a line of trees before a field of blooming tulips and an old Dutch windmill. A whimsical sun shines upon it all. A simple graphic of a trio of tulips made by loose, dramatic strokes of black ink and then filled in with color; one purple, one red, one golden yellow. Some of the leaves are solid black and look as if made by a fat, inked brush. Two are colored-in with green. Inky sweeps of light blue form the background along with random drops of blue ink and gold (mica).
September 11, 2025 at 4:31 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
darth I made an Etsy store: sympathy cards & personalized pins for now, but I plan to offer more cards, art, etc. (I’ve been grieving, so I’m slow.) I also got my books into a local store instead of just online and am ready to enter a poster contest (tulip festival)

rafinleyenterprises.etsy.com
The front of a greeting card. On it is a simple drawing of a broken flower pot below the text: That shouldn’t have happened. The pot is cracked with dirt spilled out. Three daisy-like flowers are obviously struggling. Only one remains upright, and even it looks dejected. One seems to be on the ground entirely. The middle one might soon follow. A variety of pin-back buttons designed to look like typical “name badge stickers” one might be asked to wear at a reunion or corporate event. Some have names written in; others do not. But instead of a person’s name, the buttons are printed with “Hello, my boat’s name is” or “Hello, my horse’s name is” or “Hello, my cat’s name is” or “Hello, my dog’s name is” and a corresponding icon (boat, horse face, cat face, dog face). The colors are red, blue, or green with white print and name area. Three books by R. A. Finley (surrounded by a variety of books by other authors) on a metal store shelf. All three are face-out, showing their covers which feature a raven and give a “fantasy genre” impression. The titles are: The Stone of Shadows; The Darkest Midnight; The Vale of Silence. A poster board has been illustrated as if it is a work of stained glass, with a multitude of different colored “sections” outlined in a thick black ink to mimic leading strips. A bunch of tulips is featured, with each of the seven being different variety (ruffled, smooth, pointed petals, rounded petals, single colors, two tone) in reds and purples and pinks. They stand amidst a wavy tangle of green leaves against a yellow “sun beam” background as emitted by an orange sun above, with a thick line of brown like a wooden planter or section of dirt below. A curved line of blue tops the poster, with a very light blue geometric design forming a border around the entire piece.
September 11, 2025 at 4:31 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Finished! I think. The third tulip from the right came out darker than I’d intended, but there’s no changing that.
A poster board has been illustrated as if it is a work of stained glass, with a multitude of different colored “sections” outlined in a thick black ink to mimic leading strips. A bunch of tulips is featured, with each of the seven being different variety (ruffled, smooth, pointed petals, rounded petals, single colors, two tone) in reds and purples and pinks. They stand amidst a wavy tangle of green leaves against a yellow “sun beam” background as emitted by an orange sun above, with a thick line of brown like a wooden planter or section of dirt below. A curved line of blue tops the poster, with a very light blue geometric design forming a border around the entire piece.
September 6, 2025 at 4:21 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
I’m having such a fun time painting with fountain pen inks (and thank goodness, because I’ve been needing to justify having so very many, and with an Inkvent calendar set to arrive for December).

Only four tulips left to go on what is a poster contest entry, and then outlining in wider black.
An artwork in progress. A poster board has been illustrated as if it is a work of stained glass, with a multitude of different colored “sections” to be outlined in a thicker black ink than the current thin black lines. A bunch of tulips is nearly fully painted—three out of seven flowers, each a different variety (ruffled, smooth, pointed petals, rounded petals). They stand amidst a wavy tangle of green leaves, against a yellow “sun beam” background as emitted by an orange sun above, with a thick line of brown like a wooden planter or section of dirt below. A curved line of blue tops the poster, with a very light blue geometric design forming a border around the entire piece.
September 5, 2025 at 11:03 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Many, many thanks to the local Barnes & Noble for taking my books on consignment!

(They’re available everywhere as print-on-demand, but as my publisher is unable to offer returns, it’s too much of a risk to stock unless a customer has specifically requested it.)

#BookSky #fantasybooksky
Three books by R. A. Finley (next to books by Jacqueline Carey) on a metal store shelf. Two are face-out, showing their covers while the third is in so the spine shows. Both covers feature a raven and give a “fantasy genre” impression. A shelf labeled Local Authors at a bookstore. Most books are face-out, showing their covers. There is a wide variety of genres and topics, from children’s to fantasy to self-help.
September 4, 2025 at 8:18 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Post a random picture or else everything will go bad in September

(This is *truly* random: a photo taken of a printed 1990s-era photo of my dad’s and my hands as we happily raced through popping a sheet of bubble wrap. I was looking for something funny. Found a fun memory instead.)
A sloppily-taken digital photo of a printed family photo from the 1990s: Two pairs of hands, one young, one old, captured in the midst of enthusiastically popping a small sheet of bubble wrap.
September 1, 2025 at 5:18 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Smokey, or as I call him, Smokey the Magnificent:
A gray and white cat curled into a cat scratcher that is shaped like a shallow bowl. A red strawberry plush toy is tucked between his front paws and chin. A gray and white cat lying in a kind of tucked position on a bright magenta floor cushion. He is looking behind him and up toward something (an out of frame window through which light is streaming) in a very intent way. The close up face of a sleeping gray and white cat. A human arm is draped over his shoulders. His front paw is tucked against that arm. He seems to be smiling.
August 28, 2025 at 7:56 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Look at this goofy idea I had for personalized amusement which caused me to buy a pinback-button-making machine and hundreds of supplies. And the ideas keep coming! I am becoming ridiculous.
Three large pin-back button pins designed to look like typical “name badge stickers” like one might get at a reception or business conference. One is blue and white, the second is green and white, the third is red and white. The blue one has white print which reads “HELLO my dog’s name is” and the name “Happy” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a dog’s face. The green one has white print which reads “HELLO my horse’s name is” and the name “Whimsy” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a horse’s face. The red one has white print which reads “HELLO my cat’s name is” and the name “Smokey” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a cat’s face.
August 28, 2025 at 7:46 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Have you ever had a goofy idea take such hold of your mind that you end up buying a button-making machine and spend hours making design templates?

Well, I have.

I figure I’ll offer cats, dogs, horses, two types of boats, & specific musical instruments once I sort out pricing & Etsy options.
Three large pin-back button pins designed to look like typical “name badge stickers” like one might get at a reception or business conference. One is blue and white, the second is green and white, the third is red and white. The blue one has white print which reads “HELLO my dog’s name is” and the name “Happy” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a dog’s face. The green one has white print which reads “HELLO my horse’s name is” and the name “Whimsy” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a horse’s face. The red one has white print which reads “HELLO my cat’s name is” and the name “Smokey” is written in black pen. Below, there is a cartoon image of a cat’s face.
August 27, 2025 at 4:20 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
without downloading any brew images, where are you mentally?
The screenshot of a social media post by @_tomcashman which says “Someone we ended up here.” An arrow points to the narrow space between two circles of a Venn Diagram. One circle is labeled “Apocalypse;” the other, “Having to go to work.”
August 26, 2025 at 2:11 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
He keeps leaving the couch to go snooze on the new scratcher. I’m missing out on our usual cuddle time! What have I done??
A gray and white cat cuddled with a strawberry-character plus toy on a bowl-shaped scratcher-bed.
August 21, 2025 at 1:41 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
And then this:
(People might remember that he had a burst spinal disc this April. He doesn’t play nearly as enthusiastically as he did before, but he’s also 11 1/2 now…and probably isn’t “allowed” to do fears of great athleticism anyway. I’m just happy he seems happy.)
August 21, 2025 at 1:38 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
@darth I thought Smokey would be afraid of his new scratcher-bed, especially after having already been so brave when he went to the vet today, but after I used his strawberry toy to show him it was safe to get on….
August 21, 2025 at 1:38 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Put a new card design on Etsy — this one is for book lovers and avid readers and anyone buying books as gifts that might like to include a card:
rafinleyenterprises.etsy.com/listing/4354...
The front of a greeting card illustrated in a loose, casual style with a row of books between a simple bookend and a vase of three pink peony flowers. The text reads: Set your troubles aside for a time…Pick up a book instead.
August 18, 2025 at 5:52 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Awwww, absolutely he’s worth it.

Here’s mine, Smokey (the Magnificent), who I only got last September. He’s 11 now and recovered (recovering?) from a burst spinal disc in April.

He’s cost me an entire decade of pet care in just a few months 🤦🏻‍♀️😭 But he’s my special, best-best friend.
A gray and white cat, in repose, looking lovingly at his person. Close up of the face of a sleeping gray and white cat. His paws are tucked up most adorably.
August 15, 2025 at 1:23 AM
rafinley.bsky.social
Here’s for The Stone of Shadows:
A screenshot of Storygraph’s AI-powered “Who’s it for?” book promo: “A reader who craves the tension of a modern-day heroine thrust into a secret, myth-laden underworld where an inherited crystal sphere, a deadly sorcerer, and an untrustworthy charmer force her to question everything she thought she knew about reality will find The Stone of Shadows irresistible.” A block of text showing the back-cover blurb of the book, The Stone of Shadows by R. A. Finley: TROUBLE COMES THIS DAY When Thia McDaniel's great aunt Lettie sends her a polished crystal sphere and tells her to protect it at all costs, naturally she has some concerns...about the elderly woman's sanity. What else is she to think? Lettie is convinced the innocuous stone holds an otherworldly power which dangerous people will stop at nothing to get. Unfortunately, Lettie is perfectly sane, and Thia finds herself caught up in a world beyond her imagining. A world of myth and magic, where a secret society seems to hold all the answers, an ancient sorcerer wants her dead, and an enigmatic charmer is either the last man she should trust-or the only one she can.
August 13, 2025 at 3:30 PM
rafinley.bsky.social
Wow, ok, what got “written” by StoryGraph for The Stone of Shadows is just a shortened version of the back cover blurb, but for The Darkest Midnight? Hooboy. Sounds cool, actually, but…uh…not sure that’s really what I wrote:
A screenshot of Storygraph’s AI-powered “Who’s it for?” book promo: “The Darkest Midnight is perfect for the reader who wants a heroine juggling a holiday retail apocalypse, found-family magic she can't control, and a missing-person mystery inside a secret society whose holiday gift list might include her soul.” A block of text from the back-cover blurb of the book, The Darkest Midnight by R. A. Finley: 'TIS THE SEASON FOR REVENGE If asked, Thia McDaniel would say she has more than enough trouble. One: She is the new owner of Eclectica, the most popular gift store in Granite Springs. If the advent of the winter holidays isn't the busiest shopping time of the year, she doesn't want to know what is. Two: Not only is magic real, but thanks to the powers she unwittingly received from the Stone of Shadows, it is inside her-and until she learns control, she'll be a danger to herself and anyone within range. (Which could be everyone.) A second block of text from the back-cover blurb of the book, The Darkest Midnight by R. A. Finley: Three: She hasn't heard from Cormac. Four: No one has heard from Cassie, either. Five: The Brigantium-despite being plagued with troubles of its own-continues to want her to join its secret ranks. But in the aftermath of betrayal from within, can the group be trusted? And that's before Eclectica's cafe manager disappears under suspicious circumstances and everything gets so much worse.
August 13, 2025 at 3:27 PM